1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of telecommunications, as it relates to the use of network address and user criteria information for network transactions.
2. Cross-References to Related Applications
The present application is related to U.S. patent application entitled, "A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING NETWORK ADDRESS INFORMATION TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF NETWORK TRANSACTIONS," having application Ser. No. 08/656,923, and filed on Jun. 3, 1996 now, pending.
The present application is also related to the following co-pending U.S. patent applications:
U.S. Patent application entitled, "Web Browser Allowing Navigation Between Hypertext Objects Using Remote Control," having application Ser. No. 08/660,088, and filed on Jun. 3, 1996 now, pending; and
U.S. Patent application entitled, "Method and Apparatus for Providing Proxying and Transcoding of Documents in a Network," having application Ser. No. 08/656,924, and filed on Jun. 3, 1996 now, pending; and
U.S. Patent application entitled, "Method and Apparatus For Managing Communications Between a Client and a Server in a Network," having application Ser. No. 08/660,087, and filed on Jun. 3, 1996 now, pending; which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
3. Description of Related Art
The internet is a modern communication system that allows computer operators a means to network with other operators as well as a variety of databases. These databases provide a great deal of useful information, the dissemination of which is greatly enhanced by use of the internet. Participation in this modern network entails establishing an account with an internet access provider or on-line service provider such as Netcom, UUNet, AT&T Worldnet, or America On-line. The user is given an account and a phone number (and perhaps alternate phone numbers in case the first number is busy or if he moves to a different location) to type into his client software, and then the client software dials the entered phone number to connect to the access provider.
Similar to long distance telephone service providers, internet access providers are faced with routing large numbers of customers attempting to access the system at different times. As a result, each provider incurs peak periods that are characteristic of the providers particular customer base and corresponding off peaks. For example, if a provider caters to business customers, it is busy during normal business hours. On the other hand, if a provider caters to consumers, it is busy in off business hours such as evenings and holidays. During these off hours and holidays, providers that cater to consumers may be burdened by requests that overlook the system. On the other hand, during business hours, providers that cater to consumers go underutilized. Business providers, on the other hand, would experience peak hours during normal business hours and go underutilized during non-business hours.
The cost of this inconsistent use of a provider's system is spread out over all users regardless of whether they use the system during peak hours or off peak hours. Furthermore, access can be limited during peak hours when the system is overloaded, leaving users with a busy signal when trying to access the overloaded system.
As a result, access providers must charge all customers accordingly in order to cover for periods where the modem pools are underutilized. Also, access providers that offer nationwide service at a consistent rate throughout the country may incur far more costs from users dialing in from congested or isolated areas than providers would incur from users in less congested and not so isolated areas. They therefore fail to get optimal use of their modem pools in these underutilized areas. Still further, if an internet access provider has no peak operating period in an isolated area, a user may be forced to incur a higher cost by acquiring long distance service in order to reach an internet access provider, adding long distance charges to the connect time charges.
Thus, it would be useful to provide a service or device that could efficiently route customers of internet access providers among a variety of internet access providers in order to reduce the cost of internet access as well as to make optimal use of the systems provided by internet access providers. As will be seen, the present invention accomplishes this in a useful and elegant manner.
Conventional computer network protocols are designed to operate within a given network topology. These protocols are flexible enough to handle many different arrangements of nodes and robust enough to handle changes in the topology as computers are added or removed from the network. Because of the need to maintain flexibility and mobility, conventional networks do not rely on information that is specific to a particular geographic location. These network protocols usually consider geographic independence to be an advantage.
In many areas of the United States, it is possible to determine a calling telephone number from the telephone network. Telephone network services such as Caller ID and Automatic Number Identification (ANI) can provide a caller's telephone number to a suitably equipped telephone answering device, and then the telephone number can be transferred to a server coupled to the answering device.
In many calling areas, however, Caller ID and Automatic Number Identification are not available either for technical or legislative reasons. In such areas it may be possible to verify a user's area code, and possibly the calling area (e.g. city), but in some cases no identification at all is possible. Without a direct method to identify or verify a user's telephone number, indirect methods can be used.
In various ways, therefore, conventional means are available for obtaining information pertaining to a particular network node or network user. Although this information is available, conventional network protocols do not provide the functionality to obtain this information or to use the information to optimize the operation of the network.
Thus, a better means and method is needed for optimizing network transactions.